Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Electricity Ombudsman has clarified that it is mandatory to get a completion certificate from CMDA for multi-storied and special buildings to avail electricity service connection.
An order to this effect was issued by the Ombudsman against an appeal filed by four residents of an apartment in Perumbakkam over non-provision of power supply connection despite paying service connection charge of '8,100.
According to the petitioners, after the registration of an application and payment of charges on April 16, 2015, the assistant engineer of Chithlapakkam section of Tangedco had sent a letter to them asking to file completion certification of the building for getting the service connection.
Residents expressed their protest against the letter and sought a copy of the rules relied upon by him to demand for a completion certificate.
Aggrieved by it, the residents moved Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum, South Chennai, which ruled that service connection would not be effected without completion certificate but asked Tangedco to pay '250 compensation for delay in replying the petition by the residents.
Not satisfied with the CGRF order, the residents approached the TNEO in July, 2015, challenging the CGRF order and seeking to direct the Tangedco provide service connection.
The petitioners argued that as per section 43 of the Electricity Act, 2003, the licensee has to effect supply within the time limit prescribed by the electricity regulatory commission.
“There is no condition to insist any other approval, certificate including completion certificates,” they argued.
The Ombudsman, in his order dated January 12, dismissed the contention of the petitioners that the 2006 Madras High Court order insisting on completion certificate for buildings to effect service connection is not binding on Tangedco, as they are not party in the case.
He said the order of the Court binds on Tangedco to get completion certificate to avoid building violation. The order said that as per the regulation, the application is to be registered if it is in order.
“If it is incomplete, the application should be returned without registration duly indicating the defects,” the order said.
